In agricultural and other fields, fences often need to be built to contain animals. For the sake of speed and cost reduction, fences are often constructed using T-posts, which are posts having T-shaped cross-sections. These are driven into the ground to form fence stanchions (between which lengths of fencing wire are run), and/or bracing posts, which are joined to stanchion posts to help the stanchion posts withstand pulling from the ground. Bracing is particularly important for stanchions which define the ends or corners of fences, since these stanchions are generally not subject to balanced forces from fencing wire or other cross-members extending between stanchions. Gates are often hung from stanchion posts by installing hinges which allow beams, panels, or other gates to swing from the stanchion posts. Owing to the weight of the gates, it is usually important that gate-supportting stanchions be sturdily braced. Bracing can take the form of diagonal braces, wherein a bracing T-post extends downwardly at an angle from a stanchion T-post (generally to the ground); H-braces, wherein a bracing T-post extends horizontally from a stanchion T-post (generally to another stanchion T-post); or other forms.
However, constructing bracing arrangements is generally the most difficult and time-consuming aspect of fence-building, primarily since the structure of T-posts does not allow them to be readily fixed together at their ends or along portions of their lengths. Speedy and inexpensive bracing connections are desirable to reduce installation and maintenance burdens, but unfortunately most simple solutions—such as simply wiring the stanchions and braces together—generally does not provide sufficient strength for long-term durability. Several brackets and other bracing connections are commercially available, but these tend to suffer from flaws: they can be expensive; they may allow only a single type of bracing arrangement (e.g., they may only allow construction of H-braces), or a limited range of arrangements; they may only allow bracing in directions in which the stanchions are weaker (i.e., the bracing forces may be exerted in directions other than parallel to the height of the “T” of the T-post stanchion); they may be too weak for extended use, primarily because their lack of strength makes them serve as “weak links” along the fence; and/or they may interfere with desired gating configurations owing to their configuration and/or bulk.